G LydianScale

Formula

W W W H W W H 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7
The family

G Lydian on the chromatic circle

G Lydian is the 4th mode of the Major family. Pick another note on the circle to open the scale that starts there.

W W H W W W H 5 DI Ionian 6 EII Dorian 7 F♯III Phrygian 1 GIV Lydian 2 AV Mixolydian 3 BVI Aeolian ♯4 C♯VII Locrian G Lydian
The whole neck

G Lydian across the fretboard

Every note of the scale up to the 16th fret, named by its degree. The root is a ring. Step through the five CAGED positions one at a time in the scale library.

3 5 7 9 12 15 6 7 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 1 2 3 5 6 7 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 1
Harmony

Chords in G Lydian

Stack every other note of the scale from each degree and you get its chords. Open any of them in the chord library.

DegreeChordNotes
IGmaj7G B D F♯
IIA7A C♯ E G
iiiBm7B D F♯ A
♯iv°C♯m7♭5C♯ E G B
VDmaj7D F♯ A C♯
viEm7E G B D
viiF♯m7F♯ A C♯ E
Context

Where G Lydian fits

Major with a raised 4th: film scores, dreamy pop and jazz over maj7♯11 chords. At home over the IV chord of a major key.

G Lydian is mode 4 of the major family. The same notes played from each of its other degrees give the family's other modes:

Move one note by a half step and you get a different scale:

Lydian scale in every key

G Lydian scale questions

What notes are in the G Lydian scale?

G A B C♯ D E F♯. As degrees from the root: 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7.

What is the G Lydian scale formula?

1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7, or in steps between the notes, W W W H W W H (W is a whole step of two frets, H a half step of one fret, 1½ three frets).

How do you play the G Lydian scale on guitar?

This page draws every note of G Lydian up to the 16th fret, each named by its degree with the root as a ring. To learn it a few frets at a time, open it in the scale library and step through its five CAGED positions, from the G shape to the E shape to the D shape to the C shape to the A shape.

What chords are in the G Lydian scale?

Gmaj7 (I), A7 (II), Bm7 (iii), C♯m7♭5 (♯iv°), Dmaj7 (V), Em7 (vi), F♯m7 (vii).

When is the G Lydian scale used?

Major with a raised 4th: film scores, dreamy pop and jazz over maj7♯11 chords. At home over the IV chord of a major key.